Econify's The Loop - November 2024

The latest version of PostgreSQL, one of the world's most advanced open-source databases, is now available. PostgreSQL 17 brings significant improvements to performance, developer experience, and data management. Here are some key highlights:

• Up to 30% Performance Boost: Enhanced memory management and I/O processes increase throughput and reduce resource consumption, with reported improvements of up to 30% in request throughput and 20% in average request time
• Simplified JSON Data Handling: New SQL/JSON features, including the JSON_TABLE command, enable seamless JSON data processing and improved developer productivity
• Easier Database Maintenance: Enhanced logical replication streamlines high availability setups and major version upgrades, simplifying database management
• Improved Data Management: New tools support distributed data management, bulk loading enhancements, and advanced monitoring capabilities, empowering developers to build efficient applications
• Enhanced Overall Usability: PostgreSQL 17's updates aim to strike a balance between performance and usability, making it an ideal choice for organizations seeking robust and efficient data management solutions

MongoDB 8.0 is now available, marking a significant leap forward in performance, security, and scalability. This major release empowers developers to build faster, more secure, and scalable applications.

• Unmatched Performance: Up to 36% better read throughput, 56% faster bulk writes, and 32% overall performance improvement for typical web applications
• Breakthrough Security: Expanded Queryable Encryption enables end-to-end encryption and expressive queries on encrypted data, ensuring comprehensive security for sensitive application data
• Scalability Boost: Enhanced sharding distributes data up to 50 times faster, while compressed vector representations reduce memory requirements by up to 96% for larger-scale search and AI applications

Representing a major leap forward in its development, this update delivers full Node.js and npm compatibility, long-term support, and workspace management.

• Import npm packages directly into Deno, with most packages, including complex frameworks like Next.js, working seamlessly out of the box
• Enjoy guaranteed stability and security updates, ensuring a secure and reliable development environment
• Deno now supports npm workspaces, facilitating better management of interdependent packages within a single repository

Microsoft has open-sourced its Code Push server, allowing self-hosting for React Native over the air (OTA) updates. This move follows the product's sunset announcement, with the original service ending on March 31st, 2025.

• As Code Push is no longer maintained, consider transitioning to actively supported alternatives like Expo Updates for secure and sustainable OTA updates

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced the general availability of the AWS SDK for Swift, empowering Swift developers to seamlessly integrate over 300 AWS services into their applications. This milestone enables developers to build cloud-native iOS, macOS, and Linux apps using native Swift syntax and AWS functionality.

Key benefits include:

• Simplified API Integration & Async/Await Support: Streamline your development process with built-in async/await support and automatic retry logic for failed requests
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Use the same codebase for both mobile and server-side applications, improving development efficiency and reducing costs

Credit to the AWS team for introducing the Commands action in AWS CodePipeline.

With AWS CodePipeline's Commands action, you can now execute shell commands, AWS CLI commands, and third-party tools directly within your pipeline. This eliminates the need for separate CodeBuild projects, simplifying pipeline management and security while providing a unified experience.

Google has launched CrUX Vis, a game-changing tool that simplifies access to historical Core Web Vitals data. With a user-friendly interface, website owners can instantly track key metrics like Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), and Interaction to Next Paint (INP) over 25 weeks. This data, collected from opted-in Chrome users, offers valuable performance insights.

Key benefits include:

• Simplified access to Core Web Vitals data without API complexity
• Monitor historical trends to identify performance improvements or regressions
• Easily track and optimize metrics critical for SEO and user experience
• Improve bounce rates and user engagement with proactive performance monitoring

CrUX Vis empowers developers and businesses to prioritize user experience, driving better SEO, increased organic traffic, and higher conversion rates. Regular tracking reduces technical debt by catching performance issues early, resulting in lower long-term development costs.

Vercel introduces In-Function Concurrency, a new feature that allows multiple requests to share a single function instance on server-less architecture. By leveraging idle time and JavaScript's concurrent capabilities, Vercel fills gaps between backend responses with additional function invocations. This innovation unlocks significant performance and cost benefits, and is now available in public beta.